Tumor sensor system for tumor localization, therapy response, and image guided surgery

Abstract

A tumor sensor system having an implantable probe and an auxiliary device, the probe having at least one sensor configured to generate an electric signal in response to a physical stimulus, the at least one sensor having a position sensor configured to sense a signal from a position tracking system, the sensed signal indicative of a position of the probe in a space, the position sensor having at least one electromagnetic sensor configured to cooperate with an external electromagnetic field generator, and the at least one electromagnetic sensor is configured to detect a property of the electromagnetic field and send it as an electric signal to the processing circuit, at least one antenna for data communication by means of inductive communication, an energy harvesting coil, and transmitting the data via the at least one antenna to the auxiliary device.

1 . A tumor sensor system comprising an implantable probe, an auxiliary device, and a host device,
 wherein the implantable probe comprises:
 at least one sensor configured to generate an electric signal in response to a physical stimulus; 
 at least one antenna for data communication by means of inductive communication; 
 an energy harvesting coil for harvesting energy from an energy-containing electromagnetic signal; and 
 a processing circuit configured to generate data based on the signal generated by the sensor and transmitting the data, using digital communication, via the at least one antenna to the auxiliary device, 
   wherein the auxiliary device comprises:
 an antenna configured to receive the data from the implantable probe by means of the inductive communication; 
 a transmitter configured to transmit data based on the received data to the host device; and 
 a coil for wirelessly supplying power to the probe by transmitting energy-containing electromagnetic signal to the probe; and 
   wherein the host device is configured to process or visualize data, and   wherein the auxiliary device is movable with respect to the host device and the implantable probe.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to actively monitor a resonance state of at least one coil of the probe or of the auxiliary device, and actively control an operation of the probe or the auxiliary device based on the monitored resonance state. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:
 an ionizing radiation dose detector;   a peak ionizing radiation dose detector;   a cumulative ionizing radiation dose detector;   a sensor configured to detect a property of a tissue surrounding the probe;   at least two electrodes to detect an impedance of a tissue external to the probe; and   at least one photodetector with optional light emitters.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises
 a rigid circuit; and   a flex circuit following a circumference of the implantable probe,   wherein the components of the probe are arranged on the rigid circuit and the flex circuit.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein two opposite edges of the flex circuit are attached to the rigid PCB. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at east one of:
 the auxiliary device is a handheld device with a housing encapsulating the antenna of the auxiliary device and the transmitter of the auxiliary device;   the probe and/or the auxiliary device is detectable by X-ray, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging, MRI; or   the system comprises a surgical instrument comprising a further probe comprising a further position sensor.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises a wired power supply configured to receive electric energy through a wire. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises fixation means for fixing the auxiliary device to a patient or to an interventional patient support. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device is suitable for being temporarily placed in a human or animal living being during a treatment session. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device comprises a surgical instrument or a position sensor. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a robot arm configured to hold and move the auxiliary device during surgery. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a feedback control loop, wherein at least one of:
 the auxiliary device is configured to control a power emitted by the coil for transmitting the energy-containing EM signal in dependence on a signal sent from the probe to the auxiliary device;   the electromagnetic field generated by the field generator depends on a signal sent from the probe to the auxiliary device; or   the processing circuit of the probe is configured to set an operating parameter of the probe based on a signal transmitted from the auxiliary device to the probe.   
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method performed by an implantable probe, and an auxiliary device, and a host device in a tumor sensor system, the method comprising
 generating, by a sensor or the implantable probe, an electric signal in response to a physical stimulus;   generating, by a processing circuit of the implantable probe, data based on the signal generated by the sensor;   transmitting, by the processing circuit of the implantable probe, the data via an antenna of the implantable probe to the auxiliary device by means of inductive communication;   harvesting, by an energy harvesting coil of the implantable probe, energy from an energy-containing electromagnetic signal;   receiving, by an antenna of the auxiliary device, the data from the probe, by means of inductive communication;   transmitting, by a transmitter of the auxiliary device, data based on the received data to the host device;   wirelessly, by a coil of the auxiliary device, supplying power to the probe by transmitting the energy-containing electromagnetic signal to the probe; and   processing or visualizing the data, by the host device,   wherein the auxiliary device is movable with respect to the host device and the implantable probe.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device further comprises a housing with the antenna, the transmitter, and the coil inside the housing. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to maintain the energy harvesting coil of the implantable probe at resonance to improve energy transfer. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the auxiliary device is configured to change transmission frequency according to a signal sent from the implantable probe. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the processing circuit of the implantable probe is configured to detect the resonance condition of the energy harvester coil and modify an impedance of a circuit based on the detected resonance condition. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the implantable probe further comprises a power management module to control at least one of energy harvesting, energy storage, and energy consumption. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a position sensor configured to sense a signal from a position tracking system, wherein the sensed signal is indicative of a position of the implantable probe in space. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the position sensor comprises at least one electromagnetic sensor configured to cooperate with an external electromagnetic field generator, wherein the electromagnetic sensor is configured to detect a property of the electromagnetic field and send it as an electric signal to the processing circuit, wherein the sensed signal of the position sensor is indicative of the position of the implantable probe with respect to the external electromagnetic field generator,
 wherein the auxiliary device is further movable with respect to the external electromagnetic field generator, and the processing circuit of the implantable probe is configured to set an operating parameter based on a signal transmitted from the auxiliary device to the implantable probe.